Why is there a conflict?
China has reneged on its promise to give Hong Kong a high degree of political and economic autonomy under the policy of “one country, two systems.” The latest assault on the city’s independence is a new law, rammed through by the Beijingimposed chief executive, Carrie Lam, that would give China some control over Hong Kong’s justice system. This extradition law would enable Beijing to pressure Hong Kong authorities to transfer certain suspects to mainland China—where the Kafkaesque court system uses forced confessions and closed trials to find 99 percent of defendants guilty. Beijing says the law is necessary to prevent Hong Kong from becoming a “haven for fugitives.” But critics say that it would render everyone, including Hong Kong residents and foreign businesspeople and tourists, susceptible to Beijing’s arbitrary justice. (See box.) That prospect sent more than 100,000 protesters into the streets in April, and another demonstration is planned for June 9. “There is a lot of fear that once the extradition law is passed, we won’t be able to come out to protest on the streets,” demonstrator Cindy Cheng told the Financial Times. “We’re worried they will use facial recognition to identify us and charge us.”